WanderingRurouni's Collection of OneShots - Avatar: The Last Airbender
by WanderingRurouni
Summary: My Collection of One-shots and Short stories for Avatar: The Last Airbender.
1. Inception and Introduction

**Inception**

Recently, I've come across a lot of music that has inspirited chapters in my current major story, and I came up with this idea(with some alternations on 01/01/2015)

Story length will vary, depending on how I can develop any sort of relationship, of if I can see any sort of connection between verse and characters.

**Here's how it'd go down:**

One, I set up my Amazon Cloud Player to Shuffle. (600+ Songs and growing)

Two, I shuffle the playlist 5 times. Why 5, because it's my favorite number.

Three, That song is what I work with.

Four, Within that song, I pick a verse/verses.

Five, I write a story from that verse.

Check the next chapter for a live example.

(01/01/2015 Edit) – I've also decided that this place is just where I'm going to do my one-shotting too. So any story that pops up in my head will be here.

Hope you join me.


	2. You Shook Me All Night Long

**Song:** **"You Shook Me All Night Long" **by **AC/DC**

**Verse:** ". . .She was the best damn woman that I'd ever seen. She had the _sightless eyes, telling me no lies. . ."_

**Characters(NOTICE: "Characters" not "Pairing") **Aang and Toph

**Rating: M (Language, Sexual Situations)**

**Word Count: 3,440**

**Published on: 10/28/2014**

**Additional Notes/Thoughts: **All Innocence is lost! Single-shot Suggestive Erotica, here I come!

Any annotations* will be explained at the end author notes.

* * *

><p>Aang's face was filled with determination, but covered in bruises. Small cuts with dried blood ran across his fingers, his breaths, heavy with the burden of exhaustion. Team Avatar took refuge within a massive fissure, as wide as the entirety of Ba Sing Se. It was a perfect placed for Aang to continue his earth bending training.<p>

"Remember, don't avoid anything. Face all of your problems head on!" Toph shouted to him, and planted her foot into the ground. Five stone fists shot up, and with another powerful motion forward, she sent them towards Aang at a incredible velocity.

Aang took a deep breath. The rocks were closing in. He reached up, caught one with his right hand, and broke another with his left. But following behind, a third struck his ribs, taking the air out of him. A fourth struck his shoulder, sending a sting through his entire arm, and then the fifth struck his face, knocking him to the ground, with a force that tossed him across the dry, hard ground, his body becoming ravaged by the harsh stone as it turned with the fall.

"Get up!" Toph smashed her foot through the ground, creating a pillar below him that forced him to his feet. His left arm was limp at his side. His stance tightened, he shook his head, and charged forward, shouting at the top of his lungs in frustration and pain.

Toph summoned two large boulders, both directly behind each other. Aang slammed his foot into the ground, summoning a pillar that interrupted the first, but pushed dirt into his eyes. Through his dusty vision, he swung his limp, numb arm and destroyed the final boulder. Toph felt his footsteps gaining speed as he charged on. His voice deepening as it echoed through the fissure they stood in.

His light footsteps fell hard against the rough ground, scarring their soles with sharp gravel fragments. Toph, in a satisfied panic, created a thick wall to stop him. Dust filled her sightless eyes when he burst through it with awe-ful* force and momentum, tackling her down to the ground.

He supported himself with his functioning arm, and saw a light blush across her cheeks. He smiled, accepting it as an unspoken gesture of approval before shaking his head, and falling to her side, passing out in the process.

"Katara, he needs help." Her tone was more careless than urgent. Katara rushed to him, pulled out the water she had gathered, and began healing his wounds.

"Don't you think you were too rough with him?"

"Rough?" She picked her ear with a pinky and flicked away the trash she found there. "Earth is the roughest element there is. He's experiencing what it's like in the most engaging level. Pain." She grinned.

"You enjoy seeing him in pain?" Even Toph could notice Katara's disgust.

"Hey! Don't lecture me on how to train him! Are YOU the earthbending master? No, so shut it!" Toph threw her arms up in the air, and walked away.

"Where are you going?"

"Don't worry about it! I can take care of myself!" She stormed off, her footfalls sending quakes through the canyon.

...

The black veil of unconsciousness lifted. Aang opened his eyes to see Katara hunched over him, her hands glowing with a sapphire light, the pain that struck his body withered away by the second.

"Let me guess, 'Katara, what happened?' is what you're going to say, isn't it?" She grinned.

"No." Aang laughed back. "I know exactly what happened." He tried his best to sit up, but was stopped by a pain that racked his arm.

"Take it easy." Katara held him. "Toph did some real damage to your arm with that training session."

"Yeah, I can feel it." He took a breath and fell down onto the blanket. "Where is she?"

"She took off after we had a fight."

"You had a fight? About what?"

"I told her she was being too rough with you, and she got angry. But I think you've proved my point."

"Yeah, I guess so. How long do you think it'll take to heal?"

"Heal? I can't heal this now. It'll take more time than that." The glow began to disappear. "I can try my best, but it won't be done all at once. It's going to take a while for you to get full motion again." He tried to move, and found that he could shift his fingers, and bend his arm, but felt a nagging soreness when he did.

"This is pretty close to healed, isn't it?"

"I've eased the pain, but don't push yourself too hard, or the arm could lose all sensation again."

"I'll keep that in mind." He nodded. "Thank you, Katara."

"Good. Just rest now. I'm going to take Appa and find some more water."

"Okay" He nodded. "Are you taking Sokka with you?"

Katara let out a sigh, and turned around. Aang followed her gaze, and found that Sokka was fast asleep under the shade of the canyon.

"He'll be fine." She assured him. "So, you go ahead and rest. Nothing's going to happen." He nodded, and looked into the sky, observing the clouds that passed as his Sky Bison shrunk from until it was only a black speck against a white and blue background.

A few minutes passed before he could feel his arm again...before he could feel fit to move. In that time, he felt as of his arm was never injured at all. Katara really was a great healer.

_Even though Katara told me to stay here, I should go apologize to Toph. It's my fault that she got into a fight with Katara._

He looked at Sokka, still asleep, then looked in the direction that Toph had walked off in, and followed her heavy footprints, still imprinted into the ground.

The prints were deep. But the further he followed, the shallower they became, until they disappeared. Even then, that was barely the biggest change of scenery he noticed, and he noticed it right away, as the red and gold rocks gave way to the lush green leaves and grass of an oasis.

"Toph...?" He whispered with air that cushioned his footsteps and wind that pushed aside any protruding foliage. He began to worry, even if she couldn't hear the whimper of his voice, or the dampened steps he took, he saw no sign of her.

His heart seized up when he came upon the shore of the small lake that was fed by a waterfall.

There, on the shore, were Toph's clothes.

And there, standing in the middle of the small body of water, washing herself...

...

Toph closed her unseeing eyes, and let her long, bundled up hair loose. After all of that training. No, she wouldn't even call it that. After that extended smackdown* that she that she layed out to him, she deserved some rest. Some peace from hard work never hurt anyone.

In the peace and quiet of the oasis her mind began to wander, was she too hard on him? Why was she always cold and distant? Is she hiding something from Katara? From Aang? From Herself? Her thoughts wandered towards the moment where he had managed to knock her off her feet.

The image of him, shaking the earth with his steps, becoming more and more aggressive with every passing second, and then suddenly not being able to see him anymore, but feeling his body against hers at that very instant. It was a euphoric build with an almost ecstatic release.

She dwelled on the memory, a tingling lingered in her nerves, and began to crawl down her body. Her fingers followed the descending urge, down her stomach, into the space between her thighs.

Then, she sensed a presence behind her. A grin spread across her lips. If the Avatar was watching her like this...

...

What was he doing? This wasn't right...Here he was, PEEPING on his earthbending master. This...This wasn't something that an Avatar should do. This was-

The soft patter of water on water was interrupted as his ears tuned into the sound of Toph's usually rough voice, now as soft as the water she stood in. Her moans carried with the air as whispers into his ears.

His blood ran hot with her cries, and blood began to flow down his body. Almost immediately he felt his pants tighten with the arrival of a morally questionable erection, and blank thoughts before the beautiful woman he had his eyes on.

No matter what he thought was morally right or wrong, he couldn't bring himself to look away. And so he watched, hoping for his sake that the air at the soles of his feet made it so that she couldn't see him, and the waterfall made it so that she couldn't hear him.

...

She could feel him, not only from what he was doing now. But from when he had tackled her, when he literally knocked her off her feet, and took her breath away. The aggression he showed, the excitement it brought was pure temptation. Never before had she been confronted that way by anyone.

With the thought of his touch in her mind, Toph let her hand slide further down her stomach, a single finger circling around the small, slightly swollen nub of flesh, sending chills crawling across her skin.

Would she ever admit it? Could she ever admit it to him? Could she ever admit it to anyone? Her mind raced about how passive he was, something that was always arousing in her, but when he gained the drive to become aggressive, she found it even moremore exhilarating.

And as the thought crossed her mind, her breaths became shallow. Her finger circled around faster, her nerves building, and building, begging for release.

She inched closer, and closer. And then a sudden change stopped her. A surprise that denied her the climax that she begged for.

...

No, no, no. This wasn't right. What the hell was he doing? What would people think of him? The Avatar, the one person who's supposed to bring balance to the world, was peeping on his earthbending master.

This was wrong. Even if the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen was right before him. This was wrong. This was wrong, even if...

Even if she stood in a cool, clear oasis in this oppressive, dusty desert.

Even if her messy, raven hair crashed into the surface of the water. Spreading across her, tempting his vision with her beautiful figure.

Even if the sun's light glistened across her wet, pearlescent, ivory skin.

Even if...

_No. Damn it. No._

Aang returned to his feet, disappointed in himself to do something so heinous. With his eyes closed, and his feet cloaked, he snuck away.

...

Where was he going? She felt his heartbeat, she wasn't sure about what he felt or thought, but he wasn't_ against it_. She could feel it. He felt the same way.

But he was timid. He just needed a little push. _That's what being an earthbender is all about._ She rationalized. _That's is a part of his training...Yeah, that's it. That's what I'll tell him._

...

Aang took his lighter than air footsteps, and snuck away. The sweat flowing from his pores, felt like nails, digging into his skin. The tension from possibly being caught, the tension from his racing heart, the tension from the blood that flowed in his veins, she would kill him if she...

She _was_ going to kill him _when_ she caught him. There's no way that she didn't know he was there. He smacked his head, and picked up his pace.

In his panic, he failed to notice that the air cushions under his feet had faded. Now, he was sure to be massacred. Now, she's definitely knew he was there. Now, he burst away at full speed. With jets of air thrusting out of his back, he could see the end of the oasis. He was home free.*

...

He was timid. As his footsteps sent her feedback, she could hear the terror, the fear, and...the excitement? that his heart produced.

The whole point was to not run from your problems, to face them head on. And she'd make him do that. Toph raised her hands, and caught her clothes as an earthen hand tossed them to her.

With another movement, the earth began to shake, and a terrifying rumble overran any sort of sound or vibration.

...

Aang fell as the Earth shifted below his feet, a thick wall rose from the end of the oasis, he watched as it ascended, hundreds of feet into the air, and joined with another branch of rock from behind him into a dome, leaving them-or rather-_him_ in complete darkness.

He fell flat, and felt another wall lift out of the ground behind him, and began pushing him towards the water. Before he realized how fast it had pushed him, his toes were submerged in the warm of the oasis.

"T-Toph..." He mumbled. "I know what it looks like."

"So are you denying what you were doing?" Her voice was booming, even in this dome, that shut out all light.

"No! No! Of course not!" His eyes were still closed on instinct. Even if he couldn't see, he didn't want to risk it anymore. "I did! And I'm sorry. That's why I was leaving." His cowardly and timid nature was starting to get to her. She had to make the first move.

"Get up." He followed his stern voice. "Keep your eyes closed, and come here." Her voice echoed, but as he listened, he saw a faint light behind the blackness of his eyelids. The water began to move up his legs as he walked on. "Stop."

The light was brighter now.

"Now, open your eyes." He saw a pillar of light, a single circular opening sat above her, allowing in a glow that fell upon her. Her skin still glistened behind the green cloth that she held against herself. His heart still raced at the sight of her.

_Now is the perfect time._ She thought to herself, and twitched a single finger. Pebbles fell from the sky, and landed next to him in the water. He looked up, and saw a massive fragment break free. The rock fell, and he did the first thing that came to mind.

"Look out!" He sprung forward, and tackled her. The splash from the boulder coated his robe in water. When he opened his eyes again, and saw the same blush against her cheeks like before, the dome itself began to collapse.

Now wasn't the time to feel guilty or regret. He leaned down, and picked her up. The crumbling structure created tidal waves behind them as he ran with her in his arms. He looked toward the waterfall, and ran like a madman.

As he reached the edge of the cliff, he raised a leg, and struck the rock, creating a large cavern that would keep them safe.

The dome crumbled behind them and blocked off any exit he had initially created. But oddly enough, a soft warm light was emitting from the crystals that hung from the cavern's ceiling.

"A-Are you alright, Toph?" He stuttered.

"Y-Yeah. I'm...I'm fine." She stuttered back in a shaken voice after feeling his touch again.

"Right. Now, back to what I was saying...I..uh..wel-..." He took a deep breath, and her words came to mind.

Face your problems head on.

"Toph. You're just so beautiful!" His proclamation rang through the cave. "That's then simple truth. I know you can't see how beautiful you are, but I've always noticed, even before we meet, when I saw you in the swamp. And I guess I was never brave enough to admit it. But I am now." He let out a relieved sigh. "There. I said it." It felt like a thousand pound weight was just lifted from his shoulders.

"That's how you really feel?" She could feel him nod. "Then I have something to tell you, too." Toph was never one to be poetic, she was always blunt, and honest. "When I felt you, I lost myself. I ran because I didn't know how to react." Her explain softened. "Ever since I felt your touch, I couldn't stop thinking about it."

"Touch? I _tackled_ you. That's not exactly the most romantic thing to do."

"That assertive attitude you had." She blushed and shrunk as he continued. "That made me feel..." She jumped when she felt his hand on her thigh. Heat built up in her cheeks.

"Close your eyes." He whispered. She didn't see the point, but still did as he asked.

His breath drew closer. She was hesitant, and pulled back, but he pushed on. The heat from his lips made her lightheaded. Her arms lost their strength, and she fell back. He caught her, and followed her down.

With a wave of his hand, he pulled away the tide and froze it in place. Another wave, and he created a bubble of air, softer than any cloud in the sky.

His hand glided up her thigh, running along her impeccable, smooth skin. The heat from her, already engulfing him, begging him to continue.

His touch was just as gentle as she imagined. It was as gentle as she had_ wanted_. His kiss deepened, her lips parted, and she felt his tongue dance against hers. She moaned, weak and soft. The rumble in her throat spread to him, pushing him further. His hand moved further up, with a single finger circling around her clitoris, he felt her moans become louder. And the Earth itself was starting to quake.

Toph's moans of ecstasy became more and more intense. Her arms began shaking, she sunk deeper into the makeshift mattress of air, and began to lose all control. As his kisses went deeper, and his fingers moved faster, the world began to fall around them.

He heard crashes behind the wall that had formed, Toph's dome began to crumble, and collapsed under the pleasure she was experiencing. The world was breaking, literally falling around them.

Her body shook with intensity that she'd never felt before. And she fell flat on her back, breaking away from his kiss, desperately panting for air.

He felt her release, but still felt the slight discomfort from the tightness in his pants. Even she felt it from the way his heart raced. But she wanted to feel it herself. His pulse jumped when her hand reached the erection in his pants.

Blood rushed to his cheeks. Toph pulled down his robe, with her help, he tossed it aside. She leaned back, sinking into the cloud below her. Shivering with anticipation as he came closer, and gasped on the air that wrapped around her fists when she felt him against her.

Her back arched when she felt him enter her. Shallow breaths escaped their lungs, and pulses shot through their bodies with every thrust he made. She cried out his name, engulfed in every thrust that moved deeper into her.

He threw his head back, and fell forward. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer as she felt him continue to move, feeling him inside her, feeling herself tightly form around him. The nerves in her body numbed again, and went limp in orgasm. Her arms fell to her sides, and she felt a single cold palm of his hand on her back, holding her up.

He sped up, releasing the same passionate surges through her in a pleasant rhythm that rocked her. His breath caressed her neck, and her arms locked themselves around him again. He felt his climax, and she pulled him closer, her fingers almost digging into his back as she felt him pulsing inside her.

A mass of boulders collapsed behind them in a cascade of impact that shook the Earth, a cascade that neither of them heard or cared about.

…

"Where have you two been?" Katara asked as Toph and Aang both made their way back to camp.

"We did some extra training." Toph replied.

"Really? I hope it was worth it!" Sokka screamed, his skin scarred with red. "I'm sun-burned thanks to you!"

"It's not my fault you decided to sleep where there was no shade." Toph spat back.

"There was shade!"

"The sun moves, genius."

Katara rolled her eyes at the two.

"Aang, what happened to your arm?" She asked. Aang shrugged, his arm swinging with the motion.

"…I guess I pushed myself too hard."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

* - "awful" is usually used as "extremely bad or unpleasant" I separated it hoping to use it as "astonishing or held in wonder."

* - This Smackdown brought to you by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

* - "Home Free" is an American idiom for getting to a realized goal (or in this case, escaping) originating (I think) in Baseball, where the last base is called "Home Base."

Oh, and just wait until we get a song that's NOT about sex. Then it might be rated M for an entirely different reason. Or it may just be rated T, or even more unfathomably unimaginable...K+.

*_shudder*_

Some other acceptable verses that may have inspired this story:

_". . .Had me __**fighting for air**__. She told me to come but I was already there! Cause the __**walls start shaking.**__ The __**earth was quaking**__ . . ."_

_"__**She was one of a kind,**__ she's just mine, all mine!"_

You may also be wondering how varied can this really get? I mean sure there are 600+ songs in the library, but "wouldn't that sway one way to a certain genre, and thus get a certain message through all the stories?

*hit shuffle*

Results:

**"Man in the Box"** by **Alice in Chains**

**"Ghetto Gospel" **by **2Pac**

**"Hold the Line"** by **Toto**

**"Sexual Healing"** by **Maxamillion**(originally by **Marvin Gaye**)

**NEXT SONG**: **"You're Gonna Go Far, Kid"** by **The Offspring.**

***I highly suggest that you listen to the song (or at the very least, look up the lyrics. It'll make everything better)**

**Thanks for Reading!**


	3. You're Gonna Go Far, Kid

**It's been a while, but we're back.**

**Song:** **"You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" by** **The Offspring**

**Verses:**

"_Now dance, fucker, dance. Man, he never had a chance…" _

"_There's something in your way and now someone is gonna pay, and if you can't get what you want, well, it's all because of me."_

…

**Characters: **Azula, Aang

…

**Rating: M (Language, Violence, Sexual Situations)**

**Word Count: 3,366**

**Published on: 01/04/2015**

…

**Additional Notes/Thoughts/Warnings: **Bondage**, **Non-con. There is no happy ending here.

Any annotations* will be explained at the end author notes.

* * *

><p>"Something's coming!" Toph's tent receded back into the ground. She could feel the earth rumbling beneath her. The rest of Team Avatar jumped out of their tents.<p>

"What is it?!" Sokka shouted.

"All I can say is that it's big, metal, and it's coming. Fast."

"Everyone, get back on Appa!" Aang commanded. The bison took flight, but nearly crumbled to the ground before recovering and taking off.

...

Only a few miles away, a huge metallic tank roared through the ground, ripping through the grass and dirt, paving a way directly to the Avatar.

The war machine abruptly stopped, and from the hatch three women emerged.

"Why'd we stop, Azula?" Ty Lee asked. "They're so close."

"When I was only a girl, Father and I used to hunt together." Azula shot her piercing gaze towards Ty Lee. "Do you know what the most exhilarating part of the hunt is?"

"I...uh...t-the...hunting?" Ty Lee's voice shrunk.

"Precisely." Azula answered back. "You stalk the prey, you give it hope, and then you take it all away when you go in for the kill."

"You're so demented." Another low, monotone voice came. "What are you going to do when you catch him?"

"Don't worry, Mai." Azula looked at the trail of white fur that stretched before them. "We'll catch him soon enough."

...

Before they had realized how long they had been flying, the sun was rising on the horizon. Another crash woke everyone from their lackluster slumber.

"Appa can't go anymore, guys. This is it." Aang fell over into the ground. "Can we manage any sort of rest?"

"They've stopped. I don't feel anything right now." Toph replied.

"More to the point, how are they tracking us?" Sokka asked. "I mean it's like," he placed a hand on Appa, and sleepily slipped down into his face. "It's like, there's a trail that leads them..." He looked at the bunch of white fur in his hand. "...Right to us."

"No way." Katara's jaw dropped. "Appa's shedding."

"So what can we do now? If we can't ride Appa, how are we supposed to get away?"

Aang grabbed a handful of Appa's fur and let it fall to the ground. "I've got an idea." He nodded.

The nearby river was soon flooded with white. They spent the last hour washing off all of Appa's loose fur, and the rest of Team Avatar was quite skeptical about Aang's plan.

"This plan isn't going to work." Toph said.

"Yeah, even if we do that, they'll still follow a trail, and they'll catch you or us." Sokka added.

"What else can we do?" Aang said. "If we stick together, we'll all be caught."

"Aang, what if they decide to follow your trail?" Katara asked.

"I'll be fine, Katara. I can handle one person." He smiled. "And I'm sure you three can handle one person." He opened his glider while holding a bag full of fur. "They'll lose their lead, and we'll all meet up. Everything will be alright."

"I'm not so sure, Aang. I don't think we should-"

"No time! It's coming again!" Toph shouted.

"We don't have a choice! Everyone get on Appa!" Aang shouted. "I'll meet you again later." Appa and Aang took to the sky, and flew into separate directions.

...

"Which way did they go?" Ty Lee asked herself aloud while looking at the two trails of fur before her.

"Take a close look, Ty Lee." Azula pointed to the canopy. "Doesn't that look odd to you?"

"It looks like something crashed into the tree." Ty Lee observed.

"Exactly. Something _huge _crashed into the tree." Azula rubbed her chin with a sense of victory. "And as we know, there are only two of them that can fly." Azula pointed towards the trail that led towards the plains. "The Avatar went this way."

Aang reached an old deserted village, where the bag he had stored the fur in had emptied into the sandstone streets.

_This is it._ He thought to himself, and landed in the main street of the village. With short breaths, he looked around, and walked into a small shop.

The sun was barely able to light the small interior of the dusty store. Aang looked over the counter, sat down behind it, and waited.

A fear began to creep over him, as hour after hour passed. _What if they followed Appa?_ He'd thought that they could take on one person, but in reality, he had hoped that their pursuer would follow him.

At least he could-

Then he heard it.

The screeching gears of Azula's war machine. The engine halted, he heard a hatch open, and then he heard voices.

"The trail ends here." A bored voice stated.

"That's obvious, Mai." Another voice with a sinister tone answered. "Ty Lee, you go that way."

"Okay." Another perky voice answered.

"Mai, you go that way."

"Right." The monotone voice came again.

Aang took a deep breath. _Three? Three people?_ He smacked his head against his staff. _How am I going to get out of this?_ He took another deep breath, and leaned against the counter. Footsteps began to echo in the small store, the gravel under one of their steps was like a nail through his ear. His heart was begging to jump out of his chest. _It's now or never._

"Hey!" He popped out from the counter to see a woman with brown hair, she jumped back when he appeared, and let out a small yelp. "You looking for me?"

Aang was disappointed to see that she looked quite friendly. His expression was soft, and just as surprised hers. But she was hunting him, and he had to get away.

"Azula He's-!" She yelled, but was interrupted by Aang when he swung his staff, and sent a wave of air towards her. Her breath rushed out of her lungs, and she flew backwards to crash into the back wall. A cloud of dust filled the small store. Aang turned around, and ran through the back. Breaking through the back, he exited the building.

"Ty Lee!" He heard the sinister voice call out in the store. Behind him, another woman entered his vision, she pulled her arms back, launched two daggers towards him, and a sharp pain cut into his side. A streak of red began to form, and blood ran down his torso.

She tossed another towards him, he twirled his staff, and shot a ball of air back at her. It struck her, and sent her back, skidding across the sand. Just then, he saw the other two exit the store.

"Stop Avatar! Or else!" He struck the ground, sending up a cloud of sand, and shot it forth, causing a sandstorm that would hopefully slow them down. Through the thick dust, he ran back, took off on his glider, and began to gain altitude.

A crackle of lightning shot from behind him that pierced his glider, causing it burst into flames. The embers from it fell and singed his back. The stinging sent a pain through him that broke his grip, and he fell to the ground. He crashed into the sand, and heard a crack that surged pain through his arm.

With his functioning right arm, he picked himself up.

"Hey!" He heard the perky voice behind him, and turned to see her standing right next to him. She struck his shoulder, elbow, and wrist. His entire right side went numb, and he crumbled face-first to the ground. A hand sunk into his shoulder and turned him over.

"So, we've finally caught him." Mai asked. "Now what, Azula?"

"I've got plans for him." She replied. "Big plans."

…

Hours passed, and no one saw any sign of Aang. Worry washed over them, as they returned to the river to see the tracks of Azula's machine, leading them down the same trail that Aang had created.

"Katara, look." Sokka whispered. He walked over to the shattered remains of Aang's glider. "It doesn't look good."

"I knew we shouldn't have done this." Katara held his glider in her hands. "What happened to you, Aang…?"

...

When Aang opened his eyes, he was laying on a bed. His arms still numb. His body was still aching. He tilted his head, and looked at the room* he laid in. Above him, an oppressive yellow light, across from him, a bathroom. To his left, a barred door with a caged cell around it that glowed red-hot.

He tilted his head up, and his spirit sunk when he saw the black emblem of fire, spread across a scarlet banner.

He turned his head, and as if almost on que, the door opened with a_ click._ A guard stepped through with a heavily guantleted haaeand. He opened the cage, and Azula stepped through.

"Enjoy your nap?"

"Funny. Who are you, and what do you want with me?"

"You're serious? You don't know who I am? Don't you see the family resemblance?" Azula placed a hand over her left eye, and spoke in a mocking tone. "I must capture the Avatar to restore my honor!"

"Oh." Aang spat out. "That explains you're demented attitude." Azula waved her hand, and the guard left the room.

"We'll need to be alone for what I have in store for you." She eyed his still body, and he saw her frown. "We can't have that now."

"We can't have what?" She ripped open his shirt, and placed a hand on his bare chest. Lightning skipped across her arm, and he felt a jolt run through him. His muscles tightened, and he sunk into the bed.

"There we go. Nice and easy." She stood up again.

"What did you..."

"Paralysis."* Azula smiled. "It's much more fun this way."

"If you're going to kill me, then just get it over with!"

"Kill you? I've got absolutely no intentions of that." She moved and sat down next to him. "I've got other plans for you." She ran her razor sharp nails down his chest, nearly cutting into him. "And what do you think? You must be in pain. Would you like me to...Bring you relief?"

"I'd rather die." Aang scowled.

Azula's sick grin only grew wider. "So, tell me. What temple were you from?"

"..."

"Come on now. Don't ignore me." Her breath brushed against his ear. "One. More. Time. What temple were you from?" A shock ran through him, and stopped at his throat.*

"The S-Southern Air Temple." Hoods eyes opened in shock. The unwilling answer washing fear over him.

"Tell me. Did you ever spend any time with...Women?"

"..."

"Oh, come on now. You might as well answer of your own free will." She placed her hand on his chest again.

Another shock.

"N-No. We were separated by gender."

"Interesting. Now tell me, looking at you now, you're body is unbelievable." Her fingers ran down his torso. "Your so toned. How many times did you exercise?"

"..." She raised her hand and placed it on his chest again. "Don't-!" He pleaded. "Please...Please stop."

"So, now...Avatar." She lifted her hand away from him. "Are you ready to talk?"

"What...? What do you want? Do you want information?"

"Tell me...Would you like to be with me?"

"What?"

"Would you like me to..." She leaned down and whispered into his ear. "...be your first?"

A spike in his heart-rate.

"I'd rather die...I'd rather die in the Avatar State!" He managed to fight off the lightning in his body and forced himself to sit up.

Her nails dug into his chest again, and she forced him back down onto the bed

"I guess I should expect that from the Avatar." She drew circles around his heart with her razor-like nails. "And yet, you say no." He could feel her fingertips tracing down his chest. "But your body says otherwise." Azula's hand moved down further until it was just above his erect-

"Ha!" Aang laughed in defiance. "You? Barely." He mocked her while looking at the flat surface where she expected a tent to be.

"You don't get it. I always. _Always_. Get what I want." She ran a heated finger to his cheek, evaporating the sweat that ran down his temples, the heat forcing out another bead out from his pores. "You can say 'no' all you want. But-"

Aang inhaled the dry air into his lungs, and blew forth a hurricane towards Azula. The breeze sent her flying towards the ceiling, she crashed into steel roof and fell back down.

"You're sick." The guard burst through the door, busted through the cage, and held his halberd at Aang's neck. "Do it. I'll welcome death at this rate." Aang scowled.

"Leave!" Azula commanded. She returned to her feet, the band that held her hair had snapped, releasing her hair to its full length around her shoulders. Messy and disheveled, she dusted herself off and turned away. "He's not worth it anyway." The guard followed her orders, and exited the room.

"_Always get what you want,_ huh?" Aang smirked. "I didn't thin-" Before he could finish, Azula had leapt forward, her hand slapped across his mouth. In a heartbeat, lightning skipped across her arm, and another surge of electricity shot through him.

"That's better." A sinister smile stretched across Azula's lips, watching as he struggled to speak. She played with her bangs, managing to clean herself up. "Only slow, shallow breaths for you now, Avatar. Don't want to lose your breath? Just breathe slowly." Her fingers ran down his chest, across his stomach, and reached into his pants.

His only possible physical response was a look of scorn, followed by a desperate moan with her hand clutched around him. Her soft hands combined with her firm grip made it even harder to control his breathing. She caressed him with circular motions, letting her palm and fingers torturously tease him.

Then he felt a fire building. Not just in his veins, but between his legs. The warmth coming from Azula's hand began to engulf him. And as he looked down, an instant wave of regret washed over him.

Azula held him fully erect in her hand.

"How does it feel?" She held him firmly, loosening her grip at the base, then tightening her hand around him as she moved up. He twitched in here palm, a smug grin spread across her blood-red lips as she watched his muscles seize with the aching ecstasy she was forcing onto him. "Go on." She placed two fingers over his throat, and sent another shock. "Give me an answer."

"It..." He took a desperate, deep breath. "It's...Sickening." He shot another look of defiance. "You disgust me." Her hold of him tightened and she began to move with increased speed. His hips forcefully jerked into the air, his head dug into the mattress below.

"That's fine." She grinned. "I _love_ a challenge." He pulsed, and watched as his climax dripped out of his member, and over her hand.

His muscles gave way, and he collapsed onto the bed.

"There's more where that came from." She let her tongue lick away the white liquid that hung from her hand, and smiled her devilish smile. "But I'll have to save that for another time." She blew a kiss to him, just as he lost consciousness. "Sleep tight."

...

Week after week, Azula visited him, delivered her very own form of torture, and then left.

Week after week, Aang did his best to powerlessly resist until he couldn't bear it any longer. He never knew why she was doing this to him, whether she took pleasure in it, or pleasure in seeing him struggle, or if she had some other purpose. Until one day, he opened his eyes.

On this fateful day, he wasn't immobilized on a bed. Instead, he was chained onto a platform. His arms, hands, legs, and feet were bound so tightly that he couldn't even create a small breeze. Even his mouth was restricted by a heavy iron mask that seemed to pull his head towards the earth, it was a constant struggle to even keep his head up.

On this day, he found himself before the Firelord, in the Fire Nation Capital, with Azula standing by his side.

"Well done, Azula!" Ozai's voice cut deep into Aang's ears. "You've managed to do what your brother has spent the last pathetic years of his exile doing. I am proud of you."

"Thank you, Father. This victory brings me honor." She bowed.

"So, this is the young Avatar." Ozai rubbed his chin as Aang tried in vain to raise his head. "What a weak, pathetic fool." With eyes full of dread, Aang took on Ozai's assault in silence. The confident Firelord continued to berate him, relentlessly insulting his culture, his people, everything that Aang used to identify himself.

And that's when something caught his eye.

Azula had managed to walk behind Ozai. The Firelord was so caught up in his victory that he hadn't noticed. His verbal assault contained, until he was cut off by a sharp pain in his chest.

Looking at his dark armor, Aang noticed a dancing azure flame that was protruding from Ozai's chest. Slowly, painfully, he turned to face a crazed grin from his daughter.

"A-Azula...You treacherous..." He fell to his knees. Azula placed a single hand on the crown of his head.

"Good-bye, Father." Lightning skipped across her arm, the smell of singed flesh filled Aang's nostrils.

"Y-Yo...How could-"

"Oh, it's no big deal." She replied with a playful voice that sent chills down his spine. "Kings, Queens, Emperors, Empresses, they all deal with assassination. If my Father was wise, he would have known that, and he wouldn't have turned his back on me." She casually blew at her nails.

"You killed your father..."

"That's right. And now I'm the Firelord-No. Now, I'm the Empress of the Fire Nation." Azula fell onto the throne, perched her feet on top of her father's corpse, and smiled. "Now, what do we do with you?"

Aang sat in a silence that was denying everything he had just seen. This couldn't be real.

"Any ideas?" Azula playfully teased. "I did have one in mind..." She taps her chin with am innocent expression. "Guards!" She snapped her fingers. "Take Ozai's body away! And leave us."

Soon, they were alone in the massive throne room, Azula reached behind his neck, and removed the iron mask. The heavy weight being removed was a relief, and Aang managed to speak out two words that he'd never thought he'd say.

"T-Thank you." He mumbled.

"Oh, it's my pleasure." Azula replied. "Does it feel any better?"

Something was off. "Much better." He replied. She was showing him a kindness he hadn't seen before, which was refreshing, and unnerving.

"I want to make a deal with you, Avatar Aang."

"A deal? What are you talking about?"

"I want you to help me." Her grin widened. "Stand by me, and we'll rule the world."

"…You can't be serious."

"Does this face look like a joke to you?"

"Why would I help you, after all you've done to me?"

"I've gotten rid of any obstacles on my path to the throne. Now the _only one that stands in my way is you_." She raised an eyebrow. "And you've seen firsthand what happens to the obstacles in my way."

"…"

"No?" Azula stepped down from the throne.

"I'll never join you. You're insane." He growled back with his head held high.

"Are you sure?" She hissed back. "Some people would say that we'd make one hell of a power couple."

"I'm sure."

"Very well." She placed a hand on the crown of his head. "It's really saddens me to see you go like this, Avatar. It really does."

"Do it."

"Maybe in your next life, you'll find the eagerness and reason to bow down to your new ruler." Azula tightened her grip on his temple, digging her sharp nails into him. "I look forward to our next meeting."

"I'll be waiting for you until then, _Empress Azula._" He smirked and closed his eyes. Lightning skipped across her arm.

And then all he knew was darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

Told you so. No happy ending.

*****That's right. The room from _A Change of Heart_. Chapter 11 made a return.

*In_ A Change of Heart_. One of the developments in Azula's lightning abilities: paralyzed muscles.

**Thanks for Reading!**


	4. Sandpaper

**Shuffle Results:**

**1. **"Four Strong Winds" by **Johnny Cash**

**2. **"Hey There, Lonely Girl" by **Eddie Holman**

**3.** "Sunshine" by **Matisyahu**

**4.** "Beat it" by **Michael Jackson**

**This Chapter:** "Sandpaper"by **Fozzy**

**Verses:**

"_Something happens when the Dark meets the Light…"_

"_Something happens when you start up the fight…"_

"_Something happens when you scare the monsters away…"_

"_Something happens when the sun turns to grey…Visions happen that scare us away."_

…

**Characters: **Azula, Aang

…

**Rating: T (Language, Violence, Mildly Sexual Situations)**

**Word Count: 5,666**

**Published on: 01/11/2015**

…

**Additional Notes/Thoughts/Warnings: The narrative style for this story is different from my usual style.**

-Inspired by _The Avatar's Smile_ by **Kitakana**

Any annotations* will be explained at the end author notes.

* * *

><p><em>They tackled her to the ground, one of them pushing on her neck, forcing her to the floor. Her arms are crossed in front of her. As the jacket tightens, she feels her veins constrict. Something wraps around her ankles, it tightens too, ensuring that she can no longer run, nor move.<em>

_"I banish you! To live the rest of your days in solitary confinement, Azula!" The Firelord-her brother's voice booms within the palace halls. "You're far too unstable to live among everyone else!"_

_She watched him as he descended from his throne. The air was thick with how condescending he was. The entire court had their eyes glued on her._

_"Dear brother, you're going to do this to me? Your younger sister? My, my. What a just Firelord you are." She gives him a malicious grin. With a deep breath, a stream of fire expels from her mouth, and she once again felt the hard, cold floor against her face._

_"You've only proven my point, Azula!" A leather mask rolls around her, and she hears the buckles behind her neck click. It is just as tight as the straitjacket. They bring her back up to her feet. "Get her out of my sight!" He orders with a wave of his hand. They force her into a wheelchair, and strap her into it._

_As they turn her around, she meets everyone's eyes. They look at her with disdain, anger, hate, and rage. All of them._

_All of them...Except one._

_She brings her eyes to his, and for just a moment, it seems like she's lost in them. The grey hue they bear is plain, but they tell the story of ten thousand lifetimes. There's a sadness there. A sadness that's rooted in empathy, not pity._

That's how she remembers it. It is the memory that plays in her mind every night before they turn out the lights to her cell, forcing her to close her eyes, and in the darkness, relive it over and over again.

After the nightmare plays, the visions and voices begin. Azula lays in her bed, and she hears her mother.

_"I love you, Azula. I always have, and always will."_

_I love you, Azula. I always have, and always will."_

_I love you, Azula. I always have, and always will."_

The echo drives her mad. The voice repeats until she wants to become deaf, to not hear them anymore.

Then, just as suddenly, they stop.

Her vision blurs, with her body still bound, her mother appears before her. The image of the woman says nothing. She just stands there, a specter, silent as death, and watches. She does not leave Azula's vision, even as Azula shuts her eyes. She knows her mother is still there, still watching. Always watching.

The visions and voices haunt her until she can take it no longer, and exhaustion lulls her to sleep.

She undergoes this every night. And she will until her dying days.

...

The sun rises, and with the help of automated machines that creak and whine as they move, she is given a small reprieve every morning. It gives her a small relief. Her people rise with the sun, and it brings her some satisfaction to be able to watch it every day from her small, dark, depressing cell.

_Aang's First Visit_

This day, the door opens, and _he_ steps through. He was so naïve when he defeated her father, but it was apparent that he'd grown wiser with the events he was forced to face. He may be wiser, but she never had to acknowledge that fact.

She glares at him, with her piercing eyes. But he seems unfazed: a stupid smile strewn across his lips, he held a tray with a steaming teapot, and two cups.

"Good morning, Azula." His idiotic, optimistic grin widens, showing his teeth.

She doesn't reply, instead she turns to the window, staring back at the sun.

"I thought maybe we could have some tea together."

He's mocking her. She can't move anything at this point because of the restraints. How she wishes she could kill him this instant.

He pushes a button next to her bed, the chair that she sits in, the chair that shows her the sunrise every morning, moves back.

Her scorn for him only grew. He moved a table in front of the window, takes another chair...And dares to block her from what she needs most. He dares to take away from her the only saving grace she could find in this situation. The button clicks again, and stops her right where the table ends.

Her eyes gaze through the window to the sun. But her vision is now interrupted by his oddly shaped head, ugly blue tattoos, and...His deep, grey eyes.

"It's a specialty of your uncle's. He'd love for you to try it." His optimism is a deterrent for her. She watches as he pours the water into two cups, and then, as if he'd just realized that she was bound, laughs at her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it." He waved his hand, and brought a sphere of water to her.

Angry and annoyed, she rears back, and spits a stream of fire at him that evaporates the liquid on the spot. She revels in the shock on his face. But loses it instantly when he begins laughing like a child.

"Forgive me." He chuckles to himself while pouring tea back into her cup. "Let me do it correctly this time." He stands, takes the cup into his hand, and brings it up to her lips.

Azula turns her head slowly, her death gaze still caught in his eyes. He must love mocking her. Instead of backing down, or realizing his mistake, his eyes widen as if he's been hit with a sudden revelation. The stupid smile returns, he blows at the tea, his cool breath forcing the heat from the cup away. He then nods, and pushes it against her lips.

The warmth only compounded the anger in her. She'd had enough of this, enough of this joke. With a harsh crack, she bites down on the cup's edge, nearly breaking it, and tosses it to the ground.

It strikes the metal floor and shatters, letting the liquid spread into a thin pool. He looks at her in ignorant surprise, and only smiles.

That smile. That stupid fucking smile.

The rage in her built, until she finally decided to speak.

"Get away from me." She whispers. A light shines in his eye, as if he's overjoyed that she's finally willing to talk with him. Her forsaken gaze reappears. "I said: GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" Her arms shift in their bonds, almost reaching out to him, wanting to strangle him.

She would not give in, her pride wouldn't allow it.

The door opens again. Guards jump through, but the Avatar waves them off. Azula does not watch him leave, she holds her head low, and just waits for the door to slam shut.

"I'll return, Azula." She hears him again. "I don't think you should be alone. No one should be." The tone in his voice mirrored the look in his eyes.

...

That night, as she laid in her prison cell, the voices returned.

_"Why did you shun him?"_

"Shut up." She whispered.

_"Why didn't you enjoy his company?"_

"Shut up!" She speaks louder this time.

_"He's the only one who's visited you, and you push him away."_

"Shut up!" She shouts again, the bass in her voice rumbling the walls.

_"He came here, because he cares for you. He cares about you, just as I did, Azula"_

"SHUT UP!" She shrieks, nearly splitting her own eardrums in two.

Then, as before, the voices fade. The visions begun anew and the only peace Azula finds is in the sleep they force her into.

...

_Aang's Second Visit_

The next day was cloudy, the sun wasn't there to greet her, she was only met with the grey sky. Still restrained in her chair, she remained still until the door opened again.

"Good morning, Azula." The Avatar's comforting voice grated at her ears. She just glares at him. As he did the day before, he moves the table between them, and takes a seat.

The guards step behind her. She hears the buckles coming loose. Her arms are free. But they ache with a weariness from inactivity. She would burn all of them, she would cremate them this instant but she was sure that her muscles would rip apart with any sudden moves.

"Thank you." The Avatar waves them away, and the metal door slams shut again. "Would you like some tea, Azula?" He motions to the cup's on front of them. She only looks away, silently shifting her fingers to regain her sense of movement, warm up her muscles, and then strike.

If he trusted her, even for a moment, he was more naïve than she thought.

Pain shot through her arm as she tried to move her finger. Her face contorted into an expression of pain. Something she should never show him.

"Be careful!" She thinks he says this out of concern for her, not as a demand. "Here." He takes her hand. And it's the first time, in a long time, she has felt someone's touch. "Bear with the pain." He draws a small about if water from his own cup, and lays it onto her arm in a thin layer. His eyes close as he pulls her arm towards him. She can feel the water easing the tension in her muscles as she reaches outward. And before she can even consider thanking him, her arm fills with renewed life.

He smiles again, and holds out his other hand, motioning to her other arm. Azula shifts her weight, and winces in pain again as he proceeds to do the same as before.

"Take it easy," he speaks again. "That looks painful. I'll make sure that they don't bind your arms again."

She finds it strange that he would even consider that.

He pours another cup of tea. "Try it. Your Uncle has an amazing taste for tea."

She moves her hand to her cup, the warmth just the same as the Avatar's touch. The tea itself is sweet, unexpected from her past experiences, but a pleasant surprise.

"Why are you here?" Her voice asks of its own volition in an unfamiliar, meek whisper.

"I have my reasons." He takes another drink. "But I'm not sure if I can tell you yet." He places the now empty cup down. "You might make fun of me." He laughs.

Azula raises an eyebrow, but doesn't question him further.

He smiles, stands, and leaves.

"It was nice talking to you, Azula. Hopefully next time we can fully get you out of that jacket." He says with a soft tone before the door closes again.

"Hopefully." She whispers to herself.

There she sits, alone, and in silence.

And as she sips her tea, something catches her eye from the window.

The clouds have begun to break, and through the grey veil, there shines a single ray of sunlight.

She turns her head away, and pours herself another cup.

…

That night, as she freely moved her arms, she wasn't visited by the voices or visions. For the first time in what seemed like a long time, she was able to get a full night of sleep.

It was almost a foreign feeling, this idea of being at peace.

...

_Aang's Third Visit_

The room remains how it was when he left the day before. Today he steps in with his glowing smile, and a tray of food that smells delicious. Though she would never admit it. He sets the tray down, and takes a seat across from her.

"Good morning, Azula." He says for the third time. For a third time, she doesn't acknowledge him. "It's okay. You spoke to me yesterday, so we've made some progress." He smiles, and places down the tray. Lifting up a silver cover, he reveals: A teapot, a bowl of dumplings, a plate of roasted Komodo Chicken, and a large, steaming pot of rice. "Zuko…" Time seems to freeze as she hears him utter her brother's name. "…says that your family loves Komodo Chicken, he brought your uncle some of it when he was in prison."

The guards bring them two cups, two plates, and utensils. The Avatar waves them away, and the door slams shut again. He holds his hand out in a friendly manner. "Go ahead. Unless you want me to serve you…Princess?" A chill runs down her spine when he uses her former title, chill that burns when she feels that he is mocking her.

_He wants to play that game…Fine_.

She can play.

"If you'd be so kind, Avatar." Her voice recovers into a familiar-although almost lost, condescending and proud tone. He jumps up to his feet, eyes shining, screaming to her how happy he is, like a child who has just won a prize for being the most optimistic, enthusiastic, and clueless boy in a bunch of witless juveniles.

"Of course, Princess Azula." He bows as if he was her personal servant. "What would you like to partake in this fine morning?"

His change in vocabulary feels like another jab at her lineage.

"Komodo Chicken, with white rice, and perhaps some of those dumplings." She doesn't even attempt to add 'please' to the command. Servants should know their place.

"Of course, Princess." He bows again with that same smile. "However, I have been ordered by the chef to inform you that those dumplings are strictly vegetarian." He points to himself. "as am I." He smiles with pride.

A small, smile, and a hint of laughter sneaks its way up to her lips. But she clears her throat, and pushes it away.

"I care not for dietary restrictions." She holds her chin up high with pride as he nods with obedience and fills the plate with food. He finishes her request, and stands by her side like a statue, unmoving, and silent. "What are you doing?" She asks him.

"Waiting for you permission to sit down." He replies. She raises an eyebrow, a small part of her is giggling at how committed he is to playing his role. "Very well, take a seat, and eat as you please."

"Thank you, Princess." He smiles, and takes a seat across from her.

A silence presides over them, only the sounds of an occasional sip of tea, or knife cutting into cooked chicken.

"Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Azula is the first to speak. Surprisingly, she finds herself having fun. She's able to play pretend, something she hasn't done since she was a child. She's unsure as to how she feels about this, but for now, in this very moment, she's enjoying herself.

"As you wish, Princess." The Avatar places the half-eaten dumpling back onto the plate. "I was raised in the Southern Air Temple. Where I had friends, and mentors." His smile grows as he recalls the memory. "We played, trained, studied, and lived in peace."

She doesn't offer any sort of verbal response, but nods as he contines.

"I usually spent my time with my mentor, Monk Gyatso. He taught me everything I know. Including how to make, and launch moon cakes with exact precision." He laughs.

"A moon cake? I would like to try that some time. Do you happen to know the recipe?"

"Of course, Princess. They're delicious! I shall notify the chef immediately." He stands, "if I have permission to leave?"

"Not yet." She waves her hand, and he sits back down. "Before you leave, there's one more thing your Princess wants you to do." He nods, seemingly eager to serve her. She takes a piece of the Komodo Chicken in between her chopsticks, and places it on his plate. "Eat this."

He looks confused for a second, almost upset, and then he shrugs, and his smile returns. He picks up the chicken meat with two fingers, and does as she says.

Azula cocks her head, waiting for any other response, anger, disgust, sadness, disapproval, anything. But The Avatar gives none. She lets out a breath filled with disappointment.

"You may go." She waves him away, and he walks towards the door.

"Until next time, Princess."

…

As she lay in her bed that night, Azula wondered if this was all part of his plan, if she was just playing into his hands. Or was it that she was the one who had played him. For one, she had been able to make him treat her as if she was a Princess, not a prisoner. But then again, the supposed 'game' that they played would have been his proposal, a game which she willingly took part in.

She turned to her side, trying to cast away the idea.

Again, this night, for whatever reason, the voices and visions didn't appear, and she slept like a child. But before sleep took her again, she had one last conscious thought:

_If I was able to make him forsake the traditions of his people, what else could I make him do?_

She'd toy with him again.

She'd beat him.

She'd win.

…

_Aang's Fourth Visit_

"Good morning, Avatar." She addresses him before he even steps foot into her cell.

"Good morning." He's talking to her as if they were good friends. Today he bears nothing in his hands, and is followed by two guards. "I had an idea today."

"What's that?" The guards seem unnerved by the small flame she juggles in her hand.

"I think that you'd enjoy yourself more if you were completely out of that straitjacket." His bright smile almost stops her heart.

She wonders if he's still playing with her.

She wonders if he's joking.

She wonders what his true motives are.

"Why?" She blows out the flame in her hand, and a long stream of smoke flies towards the window. "Don't you understand how dangerous I am?"

"Of course," he replies with a wide grin. "But you didn't turn me into a pile of ashes when I offended you with the tea, so I figured that I had so somehow earned your trust."

He made a good point, why didn't she end him then? But then she finds something to still remain strong.

"That's only because I would face dire consequences from them." She eyes the two guards behind him.

"Do you still think you'll kill me one day?"

"Of course."

"If that's the case, then let's get you into a place where you at least have a chance, it wouldn't be like the Avatar to strike down a helpless opponent." His new found confidence is charming. "If you'll please, just relax. These men will need to undo the buckles behind your ankles. Please turn over."

She's dumbfounded, but if he insists, then…she does as he asks, the clicking of the brass buckles are like a song of freedom.

The guards leave with the jacket, and Azula is stuck lying on her back, her legs swinging below her.

"Does it hurt?" He asks while taking a seat next to her.

"I can't feel anything." Azula replies while trying to move her legs.

"They look stiff." He takes her hand again. She nearly twitches with how abrupt the contact is. "We can correct that though." He hoists her arm around his broad shoulders, and stands her up.

"What are you doing?" A low, offended tone escapes her.

"I'm helping." He smiles. As much as she wants to strangle him, she remembers who he is. The Avatar, the strongest bender in the world. Just to test him, she leans more of her weight against his shoulder.

He doesn't stumble, but rights his posture, and holds her steady. His left hand tightly holding hers, pulling her over his shoulder. Her face flushes with red when his other hand pushes up against her hips to hold her with a firm, reassuring grasp.

She's happy to see that he doesn't notice. His expression, filled with determination. He bites his lower lip, and does his best to hold her up.

And, to her surprise, he manages to do so. He's become stronger since she last fought him.

"Okay, focus now." He looks down at her feet, she does the same. "Imagine yourself walking. See your legs moving."

She finds the instructions stupid and repetitive. Of course she would be picturing herself moving. With a deep breath, she tries to will her leg to move. A step forward, and his smile lights up. She pushes down, and a pain shoots through her. Her right side crumbles, and she falls towards the floor.

But the Avatar's always a faster thinker, and always alert. He creates a cushion for her, and she lands on a pillow of air that's softer than any cloud in the sky.

"Are you okay?" He bends over and holds out his hand.

"I-I'm fine!" She needs to show him how strong she is. She can't show vulnerability, so she swats away his hand in response. But she can't move her legs. She just holds herself up with her hands until he offers to help her up again, and with a grimace, she accepts.

He takes a tight hold on her, waves his hands, and she sees air gathering in front of her.

"Try lifting your legs onto the clouds." Azula is skeptical, but tries her best to pick up her limp legs. She manages to situate herself, and soon it feels like she's walking on air, they're like slippers made out of infinitely soft cushions, she releases all of her weight on them, and there isn't any pain. "Better, isn't it?" He continues to guide her as they walk out the door. He walks with her through the halls of her prison, her blood is flowing again, and she's beginning to regain the natural sense of walking.

"Stay by my side." He whispers to her as every guard they pass stare at her like some circus act. "I'll make sure no one hurts you."

The words strike something inside her. Something that bothers her. Those words are for the weak and vulnerable. Two qualities that she strives not to be.

But if there's anything that she isn't, it's stupid. She knows that the only thing keeping her out of the straitjacket is the man that stands beside her.

So she plays along. And decides to see how far she can push him.

Her left hand intertwines with his, she pulls him closer. His head rests precariously close to her chest. "I need a little more support." She whispers into his ear, and changes her tone of voice into one of innocence. "Please, Avatar. Keep me safe." She begs. Her other hand holds his, and slowly slides it further down her hips.

She can feel the heat rush through his body, but he doesn't show it. He stands firm, and as she expected, he does what the Avatar has to do.

As he carries her down a hall, they come to a door. When it opens, she's greeted with the sight of a large red room. It looks as if she had just stepped back into her quarters at the Fire Nation Palace. He helps her over to the bed, and sits her down.

"What is this all about, Avatar?" She spits out.

"I saw you get dragged away that day." His voice is low. Almost as if he doesn't want to tell her. "And I didn't feel right. It didn't feel right to see them wheel you away like an animal."

"But they did it for a reason." She retorts. "I'm a danger to society." She mocks her own brother.

"I'm the Avatar-"

"And you think that you can stop me?" She interrupts him.

"I think I can help you, Azula." He replies. "If I can't help this one person from herself, then how can I help others?"

"That's a good point." She mockingly agrees. "I don't think you can though."

"We'll see." He smiles. "Enjoy your new cell." He says it with a hint of sarcasm, before he turns around, and walks out the door.

…

After the sun's light fades, Azula basks in the ability to walk on her own again. She looks to the locked entrance, a steel door just like before. But across it, she eyes a door made of glass that leads outside.

She steps outdoors into a beautiful garden. The area doesn't entirely allow her freedom, as the huge balcony eventually comes to an end, and she finds that she is hundreds of feet high, a fall from this height would be fatal.

Regardless, tonight sleep eludes her. In the garden, she practices her firebending forms, letting sapphire flames fly from her fists, and occasionally lighting up the night sky with a streak of lightning.

She can't sleep, but it's not the voices.

It's not the visions.

It's not the nightmares.

It's happiness.

...

_Aang's Fifth Visit_

Azula moves like fire does as it burns kindling when she's practicing out in the sun, beautiful, mesmerizing, but deadly. The Avatar moves to greet her on the outer balcony. She wonders what thoughts run through his mind as he watches the sweat run down her body, making her glisten, as is she were blessed by the sun.

He faces her, and bows.

"Is that a challenge?" She questions with defiance.

"It is. If you want it to be." He shrugs.

"I wouldn't mind a little exercise in the morning." She grins. "But I don't know if I've got the control down yet. _Accidents_ may occur."

"I'm sure I'll manage. But first." He holds up a finger, and begins to channel air into an orb. Slowly, he pulls his arms away, and the sphere expands. It wraps around them, and surrounds the balcony. "In case one of us falls." He smiles, and throws a rock into the spinning winds. It strikes as if the wall were made of stone, and hurls back to his feet.

"Impressive, as expected from the Avatar. But from me, you shouldn't expect any mercy." Azula grins, and bows.

Aang does the same, and takes his stance. Azula charges towards him, launching fireballs that stream past his head and strike the wall. Her feet move at a blinding speed as she takes to the air, and flips forward, bringing down a flaming heel directly onto his crown.

But he dodges, stepping aside, he pivots on his left foot, and moves behind her. He places a hand on her back, and moves with her as she tries in vain to face him.

Frustrated by his laughter, she sweeps her leg behind her, shooting a stream of fire that scars the balcony in black ash. But he leaps back, lands on his hands, and begins to run on his own air wall, dodging her attacks as they strike the swirling wind and explode behind him.

He lands and sweeps his feet, but she easily dodges his attack. Azula rears her arm back and fires another flame towards him. But in a single instant she notices that her attack is only going straight up. The air he summoned with the leg sweep collided with the balcony, and shot back, knocking her off her feet.

But no one should ever count Azula out, she pulls her knees into her chest, and shoots a stream of flames that she uses to flip over back onto her feet. The smoke thickens, and she loses sight of him.

The balcony has turned into a blackened battlefield. Azula feels that she's made a mistake, the smoke is building, and she can't make out anything two feet in front of her.

Then, a whirlwind arrives, it sounds the smoke out of the way, forcing it into her eyes, and before she can even how to recover, she's balancing herself on the heels of her feet, while feeling the dull pressure of two fingers pressing against her throat.

"Okay, you got me." She raises her hands to her sides. "You win."

He smiles. "It was a pleasure sparring with you, Azula." A wave of his hands removes the giant sphere. "We should do it again some time."

Her walks back into the room, and out off her vision.

...

Something happened. She laid in her bed. Something was different.

All because of him.

The voices-_the monsters_ that haunted her were gone.

The sight she looked forward to most was the sight of his _grey eyes, as bright as the sun itself_.

And _when she fought him_, there was a rush that ran through her blood like a drug.

_Something_ about how cocky and confident he has become. _Something_ about how strong he was now. _Something_ about how he had cared for her when everyone else wanted her dead.

Those thoughts ran through her mind as fast as the blood that streamed through her veins. Those desires that burned as hot as the fire at her fingertips. From his first gaze into her eyes, to his first touch of her hand.

Her was the first one to make her experience these foreign emotions. These emotions that took away the control she had.

She'd had to do something.

She'd have to kill him.

...

_Aang's Final Visit_

It rained last night. It was a perfect turn of events for Azula. She'd learned a few things when she was a child, she'd hunt with her father, and learned how to make a poison that makes any prey sluggish. It seemed like fate was on her side, the garden she was in had a single flower, the herb she needed: scarlet petals with ashen edges.

Through the night, a small teapot sat in the garden, collecting rain. A few hours after, she dropped the ruby petals into the container, and began to boil it with the fire from her own hands.

The brew began to boil just as the door opened. He stepped through with the same smile he had before, and as if he was meant to, he carried with him two teacups.

"Good morning, Avatar." She grins.

"You're greeting me first?" He laughs, and the guards leave them. "I have great news today." His eyes are glowing.

"Before that." She sits in her bed, crosses her legs, and invites him to sit next to her. "Come join me for a cup of tea."

His face seems to give a small hint of weakness.

"Did they give you the tea?" He asks while taking a seat.

"I made it myself, from the herbs in the garden. It's the least I could do to give you my gratitude." She pours a cup for him. "You made me feel like I was home in this prison. I'll give you the honor of the first drink."

"I'll take that honor with joy." He sips at the bitter tea, and soon downs the drink. She knows he hates the taste, but she didn't brew it for the taste.

"I-It's delicious." He stuttered.

"I'm glad you think so. I made it just for you."

"I'm honored." He set the cup down. "Now, back to what I was saying, I talked to-"

"Wait." She takes his hand and holds it tight. "One more sparring session, please." She pulls him to his feet, and urges him to the door. "No bending."

"Okay." Blood rushes to his face, and she grins with a sense of victory. The faster the prey runs, the faster the poison spreads.

Back on the balcony, the Avatar re-summons the spherical winds. They took their stances, and bowed.

"After you." She offered, and he ran towards her. He leapt into the air, turning as he delivered a kick. Azula could already tell the poison was working by how unusually slow he had become, and how weak his strikes were.

She easily blocked his attack, pushed him, and then delivered a kick into his back that sent him stumbling forward. He turned to attack her again, and threw a punch that she easily caught with her hand.

His breathing was heavy, she knew that she'd defeated him. Azula swept her leg down, flipping him over, and he slammed into the balcony's stone foundation.

His arms fell limp to his sides. His eyes blankly stared up at her. She grinned, and kneeled at his side.

"Are you okay, Avatar?" She asks him in a mocking tone. "I told you. You couldn't help me."

He smiles, even as his body is numb. And the fire he started in her lights again.

"I only couldn't help you because you feel like no one can help you." His grin widens. "Let me tell you what I came here to tell you." His confidence, his readiness to die for what he believes in, triggers something in her. "I talked to your brother," his gentle grey eyes, and his genuine empathy. "I asked him if he'd let me to take you, and allow us to travel the world together."

She feels her vision blurring. A feeling she hasn't felt in a long time, and sees tears rolling down his temples.

"He said yes." He smiles with tears still falling down his eyes.

"Why...?" She's leaning over his motionless body. "Why are you willing to do this for me...?"

"Like I said before...No one should be alone." She moved closer to him, and pressed her lips against his.

Azula couldn't deny it any longer.

He was the only one who cared for her.

"Forgive me...I wish I-" She begged.

His eyes and muscles relaxed.

"If you're still here when I wake up, I'll take you when I leave." He smiles, and leans his head back. She watches in tears, filled with regret and loneliness, as his breathing slows, and then comes to a stop.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**I don't know where all of these tragedies are coming from.**

**Thanks for Reading!**


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